The Heart Transplant
by Ivytruce2
Summary: What does Esme do on a boring day? She watches her husband perform heart surgery of course! My first fanfic. Esme/Carlisle pairing.


**Hello everyone! My name is Ivy and this is my first fanfic. I adore Carlisle and Esme, so I decided to write a one-shot about them. Rated K+. **

**Notes: My Carlisle and Esme are very influenced by those portrayed in Mackenzie L.'s canon story, **_**Stained Glass Soul**_**. If you haven't read her stories, you should. Her writing is spectacular, very descriptive and poetic, and much of it is focused on Carlisle and Esme. **

_Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight! No copyright infringement intended._

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I was bored.

It happens sometimes, when you can't sleep. Being home alone all day with nothing to do, no need to eat, no one to take care of.

It was days like this when I so wished I had a young child. One that was dependent on me - not like my own children, who were well into their adult years, at least as far as vampire age went. And they didn't even live in the same house with us since we had moved. It was depressing in a way, although thrilling on some level to be living alone with Carlisle and Edward again. It was like the days when I was a newborn.

But the first week dragged by so slowly with nothing to do.

I longed to take care of a small baby, a tiny human that was a perfect cross between myself and my wonderful, beautiful husband. I wanted that connection with a person who I had created.

If I had been able to cry, I would have. Perhaps not very much, but I had at least a few tears to spare for the life that I had lost.

It was hard to be alone sometimes. Especially for me. Carlisle would always say I wasn't designed for loneliness. I wondered so often how he had dealt with it for centuries.

He was independent, though. But not so much that it had kept him from settling down and producing a family. That was something he had always wanted, though he may not have known it for two hundred or so years.

I missed him so terribly sometimes. It was these fifteen, thirty hour shifts he spent at the hospital. Since he had transferred to the huge hospital in Seattle, the days were more demanding. A larger staff meant more patients, more surgeries. He was their most valuable surgeon. I was torn, being immensely proud of him, but at the same time wishing he wouldn't be so busy.

When he had been working at the hospital in Forks, it was easy for me to visit him whenever I felt like it. I didn't feel like I was intruding there. It was a small hospital, with a very non-demanding schedule. But now... It was so intimidating to me to even set foot in that hospital in the city. It was too big, too busy. In a way, I was afraid of that setting. It made me nervous, though I had to admit, not in an entirely unpleasant way, considering it was where Carlisle made his living.

Maybe it wouldn't hurt just to call him.

No matter how many times I called him, waiting as that dial tone hummed on the other end always made me anxious.

I was not intimidated by my husband. At least not most of the time. But Dr. Cullen - I still did, and always would find him the slightest bit intimidating.

I scrolled through my contacts list and quickly found his name.

_Ring... Ring... Ring... _

"Esme?" He sounded slightly surprised.

"You weren't expecting me." I leaned against the kitchen counter in an instinctively flirtatious manner, even though he couldn't see me.

"No, not really." He laughed softly, the sound intoxicating even over the fuzzy quality of the receiver. "Is everything all right?"

"Always concerned," I sighed.

"I have a right to be concerned. You never call me at work unless something is wrong."

I suddenly felt a pang of guilt. Was I being selfish by calling him for something so minor?

"Well... I miss you." I admitted sweetly. Hopefully my tone would distract him from whatever concerns he might have had.

I could hear a smile in his voice when he answered. "Ah, so something _is_ wrong."

"You could say that."

He sighed suggestively. "Well, come up to the hospital for an hour."

I wasn't expecting that. "What? No... no I couldn't."

"Why not?"

"Because... I don't know... I just feel a little uncomfortable - like I'm intruding or something."

"You aren't intruding. At least not if I asked you to come."

I smiled to myself. "Aren't you busy?"

"I'm never too busy for you." His voice lowered and I assumed he was within earshot of other people.

"Well..."

Unfamiliar voices began talking urgently in the background.

"I'm sorry, dear. I have to go... Think about it."

"Ok." I finished shyly. He hung up.

I did miss him.

-xox-

I was nervous the entire drive to the city. It didn't help that I got nervous every time I drove anywhere. But driving to the hospital to see Carlisle was ten times as bad. My hands were shaking so much that it was hazardous to keep them on the steering wheel when I was at a stop light.

I parked on the bottom level of the parking garage where my flamboyant car would stay relatively discreet. Already I felt like I was drawing attention to myself being the only person in the vicinity not wearing a doctor's coat or scrubs.

It took me nearly ten minutes alone to find his office, at least without asking for directions, which I decided against for fear that I would draw even more attention to myself. When I finally came to the right wing, I approached the woman at the center desk specifically where Dr Cullen's office was located.

"Are you here for an appointment?" she asked suspiciously.

"No, I'm his wife." I said delicately. She raised her eyebrows.

I couldn't help smiling at her. She stopped stapling papers together to point down the left hallway. "Last door right down there."

"Thank you."

She gave me a sour expression.

I tried to be gracious, but I expected nothing less. It was no different here than it was at Forks. Only here, it was worse.

His name was marked on the silver plaque on the door. I loved seeing his full name in print in random places when I was here. It reminded me that he had a very important life outside of our home; one which he somehow managed to keep separate despite the long and grueling hours it consumed.

I didn't bother knocking. The door was conveniently unlocked and I let myself in. He was not there.

I should have guessed he was too busy when he had to hang up on me earlier. He was probably involved in some major emergency and would be gone for the rest of the day. I checked my watch: 11:40am.

I told myself I would wait just a few more minutes and if he didn't come, I would just leave. He wouldn't even have missed me.

The view outside the windows was beautiful. It overlooked the Seattle harbor and the rest of the skyline on the end of the peninsula. I watched the ferryboats go past for a while, checking the time every minute or so.

Then the door opened.

The sight of him in that white coat still took my breath away. Actually the sight of him, period, took my breath away. It never lessened in intensity over all the years we'd been together.

His skin was nearly indistinguishable from his coat in the fluorescent lights, making his blond hair look unnaturally darker, and the purple circles under his eyes had deepened considerably since last night.

"You came."

I smiled knowingly at him as he closed the door behind him.

"I told you I missed you." I took a deep breath as he moved to his desk to check his phone messages.

He smiled as he looked down, partially distracted by the phone. "I'm flattered."

I laughed airily and turned back to the window. "You have a lovely view from up here," I commented casually as I heard his footsteps close the distance between us.

"It's even prettier at night." he said quietly, his hands coming to rest around my middle as he pressed lightly against my back.

"Speaking of night" I turned around in his arms and his grip loosened, "when are all these ridiculous fifteen hour shifts going to end?"

He sighed before I could even finish speaking. "They aren't ridiculous, they need me here at night while Dr. Hannon is away," he explained patiently.

"Can't they get someone else?" I whined.

"I'm the chief of surgery, Esme." He smirked and arched his eyebrows at me. I tried very hard to force my smile to a pout, but it was impossible with him looking at me like that.

"Hmm," I muttered grudgingly as I straightened his already perfectly straight collar.

"Do you want me to resign?" he teased, tenderly stroking a lock of my hair between his fingertips.

I pretended to think it over. "No..." I shook my head slowly and kissed his jaw.

I barely had time to resurface before he pressed his lips against mine and kissed me back. My knees nearly gave way.

I felt my weight disappear for an instant as he practically lifted me off the floor. My fingers trembled lightly as I combed them through his soft hair, subconsciously pulling him closer. Just as I started to part my lips for his tongue, he set me back down and swallowed hard, the subtle sound turning me on even more. "Someone's paging me," he said huskily.

He produced the small gray device from his pocket and squinted at the number. He sighed, sounding uncharacteristically agitated. "Agh. It's an unscheduled surgery." He looked at me with apology. "I'm needed in the OR."

His eyes widened slightly in surprise as I helplessly giggled. He would never understand how incredibly attractive it was for me to hear him say that. I saved myself the aggravation of having to explain it by kissing him soundly on the mouth. "Go on. I'll wait for you." I said understandingly as I smoothed the front of his coat.

"It's a 4 hour surgery," he said tightly.

I exhaled through my teeth, thinking silently to myself. Then something came to me. "I, um, heard there's some sort of room where you can watch a surgery being done. You know, for interns, I guess?"

He stared blankly at me as though he had misunderstood what I said. "You want to watch me perform surgery on someone?" he repeated in disbelief.

Now voiced aloud, the thought was even more appealing. I smirked. "I think I can handle it."

He still looked inexplicably worried. "Well, you'd have to sit with the other interns - they've been around blood all day..."

I straightened my face. "I'll be fine, trust me." I gazed concernedly into his eyes, not having realized just how dark they were. "If I'm being honest, I'm almost more worried about you." I stroked the underside of his right eye.

His brow furrowed, but was quickly replaced by a slightly miffed expression. "I'm fine." He shook his head and placed the pager back into his pocket.

"So it's ok?" I pressed.

"Sure." he said softly as he walked to the door. "I'll just take you up to the theater."

"The theater?" I repeated cheekily. He gave a small smile of amusement as he locked his office from the outside.

"Yes, that's what they call it." I followed in his stride through the confusing maze of halls toward the OR. "The theater is the place above the operating room where people can watch the surgery being done."

It was hilarious how many doctors and nurses acknowledged my husband just during the short time it took him to get from the offices to the OR.

We arrived at a small outlet where many other doctors were dressed in caps and scrubs, and he directed me into the small room above the pit. I was relieved to find it was empty.

"So this is the theater." I coyly settled myself in the front row nearest to the window. Through the glass I could see a middle aged man being wrapped with strange gauze like material and strapped to the operating table. Despite being sure that I would not lose my control, I gulped back on the fear that rose in my suddenly tight throat.

"Where is everyone?" I asked, looking back to where he was still standing in the doorway.

"They aren't allowed in yet." he said in a strained voice. "You'll have to be discreet..."

I laughed over him, getting to my feet again. "I'm not giving up my front row seat, if that's what you're suggesting."

He smiled tightly. "Well."

I bit my lip, glancing at my surroundings uncertainly, then slowly walked back up the shallow steps to where he had one hand against the wall. I stood on my tiptoes and placed a light kiss on his lips. "Don't worry about me." I whispered, "You need to save your concentration, Dr. Cullen."

"Are you sure you want to watch this for 4 hours?"

"Are you kidding? In all the years I've been married to the chief of surgery, I've never even seen a live surgery before." I said jokingly. "Four hours sounds just fine to me." I finished seductively, nuzzling against the column of his throat.

"You're not the one performing the surgery."

I laughed nervously into the side of his neck. "What sort of surgery is it?"

I felt him tense up against me. "A heart transplant."

I gasped faintly, then backed away to look into his eyes. "I thought cardiology wasn't your assigned department?"

"After two centuries of medical experience I can perform any surgery from any department." He admitted sheepishly.

I stared at his face in wonderment for a short pause.

"You put people's hearts back inside them?" I half-smiled, my voice an awestruck whisper.

"I try."

"Stop being so modest." I toughened my own voice in an absent effort to balance the effect his had just had on me.

"I thought you liked that about me?"

"I like everything about you." I sighed, slipping my hands under the lapels of his coat.

He shook his head, unable to hide his smile.

I grinned coyly, leaning in powerlessly as though magnetically attracted to his lips and kissed him slowly before I whispered, "Good luck."

"Go sit down and be quiet," he teased, turning me around.

I mock-glared at him before obediently perching myself back on the front bleacher. Not moments later, about a dozen interns filed in, fighting to take seats close to the window where I was. I felt slightly guilty for taking a desired space from medical students, but reminding myself that it was the first and possibly only time I would ever see Carlisle perform a heart transplant, I let the guilt roll off me.

I tuned out their eager chatter as I watched my husband enter the operating room, barely recognizable in the mask and robed scrubs. Only the very ends of his brilliant blond hair showed from under the headcover, but even so, it was outrageously conspicuous among the other consistently dark-haired surgeons. It was literally impossible not to be distracted by him when looking down into the room, and I was certain that I was not being biased in the least. I did not imagine the several audible female sighs from behind me as soon as he entered the room.

A young looking girl with shoulder length brown hair and large eyes sat herself down beside me before another boy could take the last front space. "This is so exciting!" She hissed amiably, apparently to herself. I smiled discreetly at her, throwing her a sidelong glance.

She leaned toward me, and the notepad that was on her lap slipped to the floor. "Have you ever seen a heart-transplant before?" she asked eagerly.

I almost laughed as she bent over with impressive speed for a human and gathered her papers together. "No. I've never seen any kind of surgery before."

She gaped at me in stunned surprise. I realized too late that I probably shouldn't have said anything.

"You're not a surgical intern?"

"No, um... my husband is one of the surgeons."

Her mouth fell even further open. "No way! Who is he?"

Here we go, I thought.

"Dr. Cullen."

Her mouth clamped shut and I instantly felt the heat from her blush. "Oh." She rubbed at the back of her neck uncomfortably, looking at me in an entirely new light.

"Do you know him?" I asked lightly, just to see her reaction.

"Yes. I mean - no, not technically. I've seen him around, and I've heard him give talks. I've never met him personally, but literally everyone keeps telling me how brilliant he is." She said shyly, the pink color in her cheeks darkening with every word.

I laughed gently. "Well, he didn't even tell me he was the chief of surgery until a week ago."

She took a sip of her coffee and raised her eyebrows. "Really?"

"Yes, but you see, he just transferred here. We used to live in Alaska, and the hospital in our community wasn't quite so advanced."

"You mean he just got promoted here?"

"Apparently."

"That's impressive."

"I'd say so." I smiled.

Much of the room fell silent as soon as the surgeons started cutting open the chest cavity. It was not nearly as horrifying as I had anticipated it to be. Although, I found it deeply amusing that not one of the people in this room would have been horrified for the same reason I would have.

The smell of the blood was potent, but not overpowering. The glass was tightly sealed, and although the image of free flowing blood was tempting, it was easy to convince myself that I did not need it, and even that I did not want it. My eyes went back to Carlisle during those minor lapses, and I was all right.

Part of me was outraged at the fact that he could stand there, with his hands drenched in blood, slicing through human flesh with a scalpel and not be even tempted to drain the body himself. Venom pooled in my mouth just thinking of being in the operating room. I mentally chided myself for the thought and attempted to distract myself.

Carlisle was so confident in his every motion; I had never seen him so in his element before. I had thought the time when he set my leg had been intense, but that was leagues behind this level.

"It's fascinating, isn't it?" A thin Asian boy on the other side of me asked rhetorically as he frantically jotted down notes.

"Yes, it is." I agreed, smiling to myself. Not for the reasons he was thinking, obviously.

The four hours went by ridiculously fast as I knew they would. I wasn't sure the other interns thought my behavior of staying put in nearly the same stone-still position without getting up for a break the entire period was a bit suspicious - I really didn't care. I had been practically hypnotized the whole time, and now that it was over, I was in a state of mild shock, like having just got off of a high.

The students left the room slowly as the surgery was being wrapped up, murmuring about how amazing it was to see a real heart transplant and what surgeries they wanted to see next, and other amusing human-like concerns.

I waited patiently in the very same place until I felt my husband's presence in the doorway again. He had obviously taken more time to clean up so that I would not lose myself over the smell of blood that still faintly clung to him. His own signature scent was far more overpowering than the smell of even the sweetest blood could ever be. He walked slowly to stand beside the window, looking down into the room he had just operated in with distant eyes.

"So?" Carlisle whispered, turning his head back to regard me where I sat.

"That was... so fascinating." I exclaimed under my breath, for lack of a better word.

He sent me an unreadable smile, his ebony eyes glinting richly.

"Do you, even realize, how amazing it is? What you do?" I asked incredulously.

"Yes, that's why I spend fifteen hour days doing it." He responded, his smile brightening.

I knew what else I wanted to ask him.

Do you even realize how much watching you perform surgery makes me want to drag you to bed right now...?

It was both shameful and amusing, but it stayed in the vault for now.

I stood up shakily. "You save people's lives. Their lives are literally in your hands." I moved closer to him.

He still remained completely silent. His eyes were frustratingly hard to read when they were so dark.

"Do you still get nervous before you go into surgery?" I asked curiously.

"Yes."

I was instantaneously intrigued by the way he said the word - like he was revealing his most precious secret.

"About the blood...?" I asked waveringly.

"No." His response was quick. "Never about the blood," he said. "I get nervous for all of the reasons that any other surgeon gets nervous."

I cocked my head innocently as I stepped closer to him. "Were you nervous today?"

"I was very nervous." He confessed.

"Because I was watching?" I asked hopefully.

"Partially."

If I had not had advanced hearing, I wouldn't have caught the word.

"Can we go back to your office now..?" I practically pleaded, my voice helplessly desperate sounding.

"Why?" The corner of his mouth twitched into a smile.

I clutched the sleeve of his coat and whispered, "I left my purse in there."

_The end! _

**So what did you think? Again this is my first attempt at writing fan fiction. I worked on it for a very long time (try four weeks!) to get it just right. I would like to thank Mackenzie L. for being kind enough to pre-read this even though she is a very busy lady. She helped me a great deal with the dialogue and descriptions. Check out her stories if you have the time, they are some of the most brilliant works about Carlisle and Esme I have had the joy of reading. Another very good fic I have been reading is Lisalovescurry's **_**Eternity**_**, which features tons of one-shots about all different time periods in the lives of the Cullens, Carlisle and Esme included. (=**

**A few reviews for my first fanfic would be wonderful!**


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